Eat Lunch and Stay Healthy

Lunch at a restaurant can be a dangerous meal if eating healthy is your goal. That's because lunch is generally nothing more than an early dinner at many restaurants down to the size of the portions. Nutrition experts say it's possible to eat lunch and stay healthy, but the only person who can make sure you make the right choices at lunch is you. Consider some of these tips to make lunch a healthier meal.

• Pick the right place. If you have the control over the location for lunch - and that's often not the case for business meals - pick a restaurant that you know offers healthy meals along with the rest of its menu. More and more menus are dedicating a portion of their menu to heart-healthy food to attract the growing number of people who are trying to eat healthy at all times.
• Snack before lunch. A late morning snack is a great idea anywhere, to bridge the gap between the energy provided by breakfast and the natural letdown in the middle of the morning. A healthy snack not only maintains your metabolism, but feels you up before lunch. Making healthy choices is even easier if you're not starving.
• Watch the alcohol. If the table is drinking beer for lunch, nurse a single light beer and make sure you have water before, during and after the meal.
• Don't shy away from special orders. Remember that the waiter's job is to get you exactly what you want for lunch. If you have a salad, ask if there is fat-free dressing. That Caesar salad with diet dressing is awfully fattening if you add the fried chicken strips. If there is gravy or sauce, ask that it be served in a separate container.
• Stay away from the bread. Bread can be fattening, particularly with butter, so resist the urge to snack on bread while waiting for your order.
• Order smart. Look for choices like grilled chicken or meats like turkey and roast beef. Stay away from the poor boy and ask if a sandwich is available on wheat bread. Avoid fried food and be careful about the portions. Leave half of your meal to take home and eat another time.
• Be careful with dessert. Sherbet is a much better bet than ice cream. And a cup of fruit is usually an alternative at most any restaurant. If you are caught with desserts for the table, have a few bites. It may be a better option than refusing to eat what everyone else is having.